Choose-your-own-adventure (CYOA) narratives offer immersive experiences that can effectively convey complex conservation concepts, like human–elephant conflict, while also fostering empathy and critical thinking. However, there has been little research on the use of CYOA activities in conservation education.

In a study published in Integrative Conservation, researchers created an interactive story about elephant conservation and presented it in two formats: a YouTube video and a live performance. They then conducted post-activity surveys with participants to assess their awareness, learning outcomes, and willingness to take action for elephant conservation.

Cumulative ordinal mixed models were used to analyze the data, specifically considering the effects of sociodemographic factors on both the YouTube and non-YouTube versions.

The researchers used surveys to assess how participants engaged with the activities, what they learned, and their conservation intentions after exposure. They further analyzed differences in responses based on mode of delivery, message type, and sociodemographic factors. For one of the live performances (Merdeka), they specifically assessed knowledge before and after the activity.

They found that while CYOA narratives show promise for conservation education, challenges remain in simplifying scientific language, assessing impact on understanding of complex issues, standardizing results and effectively communicating knowledge.

 Participants preferred live performances over online YouTube campaigns and both formats improved their knowledge of elephant conservation. For the YouTube campaign, participants strongly agreed that the campaign allowed them to connect with characters and topics and they indicated a higher likelihood of engaging in multiple conservation actions compared to the control group.

The researchers suggested that further studies could expand the application of the CYOA method to a wider range of educational disciplines, adapt narratives for diverse audiences, evaluate long-term impact, explore immersive technologies, and investigate its applicability beyond conservation.